In a day in age where many of us seek to find community and commonality, one experience holds true as something ALL of us have been through – That is, at some point we were the new kid, newbie, even NOOB if you prefer. I recently made a big career move and found myself in the newbie position and have to admit, I LOVE to be the new person! Why? Comfort zones are danger zones and complacency is BORING… mainly because I love learning new skills, meeting new people and a true opportunity for growth, gets me pumped! Okay, Okay enough about being the new kid already!! This is a tale of two trips: the purpose, the fun, and how this team goes the extra mile for every single client.
There are a few special things that our teams does to really go the extra mile. One of which being the way we operate as an extension of our client’s team, total immersion. We take the time to understand the culture, the industry and everything in between. Second, we share the most common goal with our client’s: We want to see them through to success. Whatever that may look like for them. An important aspect of this comes from attending various trade shows/exhibits.
Trip #1: The Industry Show
First and foremost, attending an industry show on behalf of our client was nothing short of exhilarating! It provided the perfect atmosphere to learn about the industry that our client serves, the culture of the members and dive deep into networking. I found that it was not only great to meet so many people and collect contacts, but also connect the dots for many of the exhibitors. Our client has such a valuable and specified audience for these exhibitors that I found the networking to be full of energy on both parts! To be “just what they have been looking for” was exciting in many ways.
To understand why networking and learning the industry is so valuable, check out our three-part blog series on "The Non-Dues Recipe for Success."
Trip #2: The Client's Annual Show
Attending our clients’ show was a bit different in ways, than an industry show with some overlap. Of course, networking and continuous learning will always be part of the experience, but let me tell you our client really took it up a notch in the “fun” category. The complete royal treatment – an entire block of restaurants showcased their best food and beverages! It was absolutely amazing! While our team enjoyed every last drop of the fun, we attended with specific purpose in mind. For this event, we attended in support and on behalf of our client. We actively sought out real-time feedback, which we analyze, track, and turn into actionable items that ultimately provide maximum lift for our client.
I won’t be the new person forever, but I am going to embrace every moment of the journey and take pride in going the extra mile. I will enjoy being part of one of the best teams, who truly knows how to serve and deliver for our association clients.
